The invention concerns a closure device with
a first closure element, a second closure element, which can be arranged on the first closure element in a fixing direction and which is connected to the first closure element in a closed state, and an actuating element, which is movably arranged on the second closure element.
Such closure devices can be used in particular wherever two parts need to be detachably joined together. For example, such a closure device is suited as a closure for a bag or some other container, as a retention device or as a connection device for connecting two tension-loaded elements, such as two traction cables or belts. In a specific application, such a closure device can be used, for example, for the coupling of a leash with a collar for a pet.
An application for elements loaded by pressure is also conceivable.
In such a closure device, the second closure element in the closed state is held on the first closure element via the actuating element. For this, the second closure element interacts with the actuating element such that, in a loaded state, when a force is acting on the second closure element relative to the first closure element along the fixing direction, the actuating element is firmly connected to the first closure element and holds the second closure element on the first closure element. In other words, the second closure element is fastened to the first closure element not directly, but it is indirectly held on the first closure element via the actuating element. If the second closure element is loaded by tension, the second closure element acts on the actuating element and locks the actuating element such that the actuating element cannot be released easily from the first closure element and thus the closure device is locked. In the loaded state, the first closure element and the second closure element are firmly joined together in this way via the actuating element.
In an unloaded state, on the contrary, when no force or only a slight force is acting on the second closure element relative to the first closure element, the closure device is not locked, and the second closure element can be loosened from the first closure element by activating of the actuating element.
Traditionally, a snap hook is used for example to couple a dog leash to a dog collar, being arranged on the dog leash and engaging with a fastening stirrup on the dog collar. Such snap hooks are also used to join two tension cables and can basically handle large tensile forces. Especially when used on a dog leash, however, traditional snap hooks may be hard and awkward to handle.
From WO 2011/029582 A2 there is already known a closure device of this kind, in which an actuating element in the closed state is held by friction or by snap action on the first closure element by a (locking) segment which is elastic at least for a section. The actuating element here engages with a locking segment or several locking segments each time in an assigned detent opening on the first closure element, in order to hold the second closure element in a loaded state securely on the first closure element. The detent openings are located in an outer wall of a receptacle of the first closure element, into which the second closure element with the actuating element is shoved at least partly in order to join the two closure elements together.